Northwestern hosts Ohio on Saturday looking to get back to .500 on the season.

The Wildcats have released a preview of the uniforms and they’ll be looking for the black helmet-black/pants combination to come away with a win in Evanston, and get past their Week 4, Mid-American Conference opponent.

The Wildcats will need something to keep their eyes on the prize, as the program has had a rough past with the MAC — even when things were going well.

Back in 2018, Akron exploded in the second half to top the ten-ranked Wildcats, 39-34. Just two years before that, the 2016 season opener saw Western Michigan topple the Cats, 22-21. Even the magical 1995 season that saw the Wildcats reach the Rose Bowl, saw a loss at the hand of a MAC opponent — Miami (OH) beat the Cats in a 30-28 shocker that came just two weeks after opening the season with a win over then No. 9 Notre Dame.

So maybe some mojo will come from the new uniform combo, and Northwestern’s checkered history with the MAC can be kept in the past. Kickoff is set for 11:00 AM on Saturday, Sept. 25 in Evanston.